Reversing mechanism



March 9, 1943. N. s. CAMPBELL REVRSING MECHANISM Filed April 9, 1941 Tl mi a w 2 7 l w .l Nm M01 I Ob 2 .L M .5. W C ma P 100 2.. T 1 nn d zu Patented Mar. 9, 1943 ortica 2,313,221 REVERSING MECHANISM Nelson eS. Campbell, Brookline, Mass.

Application April 9, 1941, Serial No. 387,637 In Canada vSeptember 7, 1940 Claims. (Cl. i4-V70) This invention relates to a mechanism for delivering rotary motion alternatively in opposite directions from rotary motion continuously imparted to it in one direction.

Heretofore in the operation of some machinery,

such as some textile machinery, it has been defsirable to impart opposite reciprocating or rotary motion to some part, and to do this, means have been provided which have considerable slap of parts making a great deal of noise and requiring them to be made of rather large and' cumbersome size in order that the strength may be had for their proper support. These cumbersome and noisy forms of mechanism for accomplishing this result are expensive to construct.

A crank motion is commonly employed for de-f livering such -reciprocating motion, and the reciprocating motion delivered from a crank, as is Well known, is not of a uniform speed throughout the straight line motion delivered in opposite directions.

One of the objects of this invention is to minimize these undesirable results set forth in the preceding paragraph.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a simple form of mechanism for accomplishing this result and one which may be made small in size.

Another object of this invention is to provide a reciprocating mechanism in which there will be delivered a uniform speed of travel from the beginning to the end of motion in each direction.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a reciprocating motion in which the reverse will be immediate and a constant rate of travel will be had throughout the straight line travel of motion in each direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for delivering rotary motion alternatively in opposite directions which will be so constructed that it will be quiet in its operation and may be readily lubricated.

The invention consists in the provision of all rotary parts with the transmission of power through a helical gear action.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a sectional View of the casing, showing in plan the operating arrangement of my mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a View looking as from line 3 3 of With reference to the drawing, I have provided a casing 200 in the form o-f a rectangular box in which there are lparallel shafts 20|, 202

Von either side of a shaft 203 parallel to these shafts and located between them. These shafts are all mounted in suitable bearings indicated by the provision of bosses 2|0 on the outer surface of the casing. A shaft 204 has a gear 205 fixed uponl one of its ends,'which gear receives a continuous driving rotary motion from some suitable connection such, for instance, as that illustrated in my copending application Serial No. 340,415, Ydated June 14,' 1940. Shaft 204 is equipped with opposite spiral gears 205 and 201. Gear 206 meshes with spiral gear 208 on shaft 20|, and spiral gear 201 meshes with spiral gear 209 onshaft 202 so as to provide opposite drive to these shafts 20| and 202 in unison. A cylindrical member 2| is mounted upon shaft 20|, and a cylindrical member4 2 l2 is mounted upon shaft 202, each with a single helical tooth 2|3 and 2|4 extending one-half of the revolution of the rotary member of drum 2|| or 2|2. These teeth 2 |3 and 2|4 are positioned oppositely. The shaft 203 is provided with a cylindrical member or drum 2 I5 upon which there is a helical tooth 2 S which extends a complete revolution thereabout and has the same pitch as the pitch of the teeth 2|3 and 2|4.

The position of the members 2li and 2|2 are such that when drive is being imparted from cylinder 2| to cylinder 2|5, by reason of the engagement of the teeth 2|3 and 2|6, the nontoothed surface of the cylindrical member 2|2 will be toward the member 2| 5, and when the end of tooth 2|3 passes out of engagement with the tooth 2|6, then the tooth 2| 4 will pick up the tooth 2|6 to impart an opposite drive to the member 2|5, while the non-toothed surface of the member 2 2 is toward themember 2 I5. Thus, there will be delivered to shaft 203 opposite alternate rotation which may be transferred through the gear 2|`| to some desired part which the mechanism is to drive, such, for instance, as the reciprocating motion of the twist controller set forth in my copending application above referred to.

The shaft 204 is suitably supported in bearings 2|8 supported at the end of brackets 2|9 from the casing 200. By reason of enclosure of these cylindrical drum members in the casing 200, they may operate in a lubricant and by reason of the spiral gear relationship, the parts will run smoothly and quietly.

Because of the uniform helical pitch of the interengaging teeth, the motion imparted in one direction will be at a constant rate and because of the same uniform opposite pitch of the tooth on a member traveling in the opposite direction, there will be the same constant rate in the opposite direction; and as the tooth of one member disengages and the tooth of the other member engages the tooth of the center member at substantially the same instant, the reverse will be immediate, and the same constant rate inthe opposite direction will be picked up immediately for delivery from the mechanism.

I claim:

1. A mechanism for delivering rotati-onin opposite directions comprising a cylindrical driven member rotatably mounted on its axis and having a tooth helically disposed about its surface for substantially one revolution thereof, a pair of driving members located with one on either side of said driven member and'each'ha'ving a tooth helically disposed substantially one-halfrevolution and extending substantially half the length of the axial extent of the tooth of the driven member, said driving members being so positioned as to have their teeth alternately engage the tooth -of the driven member, and means for oppositely rotating said driving members whereby the driven member will be alternately oppositely rotated. A

2. A mechanism for delivering rotationin opposite directions` comprising three 'cylindrical members each rotatable about aA separate axis, spaced from each otherY and extending in parallel relation and in a planepassing centrally through all of said axes, means for` oppositely rotating the outer members continuously in one direction, and helically-disposed means interconnecting lsaid members for transmitting alternatively opposite rotation to the intermediate member.

3. A mechanism for delivering rotation in opposite directions comprising a single cylindrical tially half the length Iof the axial extent of the tooth of the driven member, said driving members being so positioned as to have their teeth alternately engage the tooth of the driven member, and means for oppositely rotating said drivirig members whereby the driven member will be alternately oppositely rotated.

4. A- mechanism for delivering rotation in oppositedirections comprising a cylindrical driven jmem'ber rotatably vmounted on its axis and having arsingle tooth helically disposed about its surface for substantially one revolution thereof, -a pair of driving members located with one on either side of said driven member and each 'hav- Ying a single tooth helically disposed substantially one-half revolutionA and extending substantially half the length ofthe axial'extent of the tooth of the driven member, said driving members being so positioned as to have their teeth alternately engage thetooth of the driven member, andmeans Vfor oppositely rotating said driving membersvvhereby the Ydriven member will be alternately oppositely rotated.

5, A mechanism 1for ldelivering rotation in opposite vfdirections*comprising three cylindrical members one intermediate of the other two outer members, eachrotatable labout a Aseparate axis which axes arey spaced from each other and extend in parallelvrelation, means for oppositely rotating the outer imembers v'continuously in one direction, anda singlehelically-disposed'tooth on each member interconnecting said outermembers with the intermediate member for transmitting alternatively opposite rotation to the intermediate member.

NELSONS. CAMPBELL. 

